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She didn’t understand. Hallie shook her head. “What do you mean?”
Cadence inhaled deeply and looked around the empty bedroom. “The legend of ten-ten is pretty big in these mountains.”
“Oh.” Hallie frowned, trying to catch up. “Well, it’s very lucky that you have it in your trailer park then.”
Cadence’s slow smile was confusing. She stood and handed Hallie the blanket. “Luckier than you even know. Come on. Let’s go make sure the boys aren’t fighting. You are probably the only thing keeping Gunner’s instincts under control right now.”
“His instincts?”
Cadence turned and walked backward a few paces as she said, “This is the longest I’ve ever seen him go without ruining a night.” She winked and turned back around, walked straight through the living room and out the front door, leaving Hallie to stare after her and wonder about Gunner’s demons.
She looked around the cozy trailer and smiled to herself. Someday, she dreamed of being able to settle down someplace after Derek grew weary of chasing her and moved on. The old her would’ve wanted some big penthouse somewhere, but the new her? The humbled her? The her that breathed for peaceful, quiet moments, wouldn’t mind having a place like this.
Boldly, she sank down on the edge of a couch cushion just to test out if it was as comfy as it looked. It totally was.
She would never say it out loud, because dreaming was pointless for a hunted girl like her, but in her most quiet moments from here on out, she would think of this place. This was the dream. It had everything she needed. Cute kitchen, homey feel, television mounted on the wall to cuddle up on the couch and eat popcorn and have movie marathons. Comfortable bedroom, and a cute bathroom. No dishwasher, but that was okay. She didn’t mind handwashing dishes.
The door opened and she jumped, startled out of her daydream.
Gunner poked his head in. “We’ve got a long drive back,” he murmured. “I can excuse us.”
Hallie hugged the blanket closer to her chest. “I like it here.”
Gunner looked around the room, and his face softened. He pulled up his phone and told her to, “Smile.”
She struck a pose on that old green couch and cheesed as big as her lips would stretch. He poked a few buttons, and then shoved his phone into his back pocket and strode inside.
Her phone vibrated, and she checked the image he’d just texted her. She was struck by her own smile. For a few moments, she couldn’t speak. She could only look at herself.
If her counselor saw this, she would point out that smile.
Gunner was watching her face, hands shoved deep into his pockets.
“I feel happy,” she whispered thickly.
“Say more,” he murmured.
She shrugged her shoulders up to her ears. “I like these people, and I like that they’re badasses. I like that they’re welcoming and warm, and I like their homes here, and I like…I like…”
“Go on.”
“I like being around you and learning about your life. The good and the bad.”
“Stay one more day.” He repeated the same words he had said last night.
“And then what?” she answered, repeating the words she had responded with the night before.
“And then we’ll see.”
Chapter Twelve
Hallie shut the door to Corey’s house and pressed her back against it. She closed her eyes and smiled.
Gunner had taken her to pick up her car, and then followed her all the way to the entrance of Corey’s property to make sure she got home safe.
Her phone lit up with a text. A part of her expected him to text her that she needed to update him whenever she got somewhere she intended to be, but it wasn’t forceful. He just said, I had fun today.
A grin confiscated her face as she texted back, Dinner after my shift tomorrow? It’s payday. I’m buying. Send.
